The Straight and Narrow

The "straight and narrow" is defined by the American Heritage dictionary as "The way of proper conduct and moral integrity".  We ask Allah  at a minimum of 17 times per day in our daily prayers to keep us on "the straight path" (Al-Fatihah, 1:6) and we quickly narrow it to the "path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray" (Al-Fatihah, 1:7).  This the path of all Muslims who through divine revelation and consciousness of Allah, accept that this is the life Allah has ordained for us.

The Quran and Sunnah then give us a guide to staying on this path with a fulfilling and multidimensional life, having to juggle a variety of factors in a balance so that one can keep moving forward on the path without hitting any sharp or slow divergences.

We cannot straighten that which is already straight.  So what happens then if we are to make that path even more narrow?  What happens if Allah  makes the path more narrow for us?  If we box ourselves into a narrow path, then Allah tends to make life extremely difficult.  One cannot lock the door to their home and try to pray their way to paradise neglecting their family, their community, their nation, and the world as a whole.  Islam took away the monk lifestyle by bringing a final message with a balanced life that would continue on until the Day of Judgment.  Difficulty is only a state that a believer can place himself in.  Allah  says in the Qur'an when giving exceptions to fasting "Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship" (Al-Baqarah, 2:185).  Yet we tend to misbalance our priorities, duties, rights of our body, rights of others, time, money, energy or isolate, overdo or even go to extremes.  The difficulty resulting is Allah's automatic correction.

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah  that the Prophet  said: “Religion is easy, and no one overburdens himself in his religion but he will be unable to continue in that way. So do not be extremists, but try to be near perfection and receive the good tidings that you will be rewarded. Gain strength by worshipping in the mornings and afternoons and during the last hours of the night.”  Narrated by al-Bukhaari (39) and Muslim (2816).

We have obligations and rights which must be fulfilled and to narrow our path by not fulfilling them goes against what Islam has enjoined upon us which will lead us to difficulty and off the path if we do not abandon it.

Narrated `Abdullah bin `Amr bin Al-`As: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "O `Abdullah! Have I not been formed that you fast all the day and stand in prayer all night?" I said, "Yes, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)!" He said, "Do not do that! Observe the fast sometimes and also leave them (the fast) at other times; stand up for the prayer at night and also sleep at night. Your body has a right over you, your eyes have a right over you and your wife has a right over you."

Yet sometimes without a choice Allah answers the previously quoted supplication we make in our daily prayers by narrowing the path for us to keep us even firmer on it.  This is a great mercy and makes for a certain ease often after a trial or difficulty.  The Quran states: "For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.  Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease." (Ash-sharh, 94:5-6).  The hardship is mentioned specifically as one while ease is generally leading to an oft-stated interpretation that there is twice as much ease as hardship.



Ultimately if we spend our lives as pious believers we will be struggling to create the right box around us however we may isolate ourselves from the troubles of the world to keep a positive environment while creating a challenge as Allah  commands us to struggle and call others to Islam and to promote justice and to fulfill the rights of others.  Eventually we will be forced to abandon self-imposed narrow boxes.

People on the right path are not necessarily locked into one mode of thinking or way of deducing Islamic rulings.  Some may be more literal relying more on hadiths while some may be more reason based relying on opinions.  A path like the roads we are used to can always be divided into two sides.  Not only will we struggle to remain firm in Allah's path but the devil will constantly try to deceive us with trickery and opportunities to veer way off of it in what is the greatest danger to a believer.

Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal recorded that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud  said, "The Messenger of Allah drew a line with his hand (in the sand) and said, "This is Allah's path, leading straight." He then drew lines to the right and left of that line and said, "These are the other paths, on each path there is a devil who calls to it." He then recited, "And verily, this is My straight path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His path." (Al-'an`am, 6:153)" Al-Hakim also recorded this Hadith and said; "Its chain is Sahih, but they did not record it." - Tafsir Ibn Kathir: The Command to Follow Allah's Straight Path and to Avoid All Other Paths.



May Allah always keep us on the best path for us which leads to His paradise, be it difficult or easy, narrow or wide, with one strategy of methodology for Islamic rulings or another, our aim for a final destination is clear and so may Allah keep the path clear to us always.